Distillation device



Feb. 22, 1944. s. c. KAIN DISTILLATION DEVICE Filed March 25, 1942 2 Sheees--SheeiI 1 Feb. v22, 1944.

s. c. KAIN 2,342,201

DISTILLATION DEVICE F'ilved March 25 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Im'elztor Sidney 6". Kazrz/ WWW m- Patented Feb. 22, 1944 UNITED *STATESy TENT foFFlcs 2,342,201 Y nrsTrLLATIoN DEVICE Sidney o. Kain, Tucson, Ariz. Asyncatteint Maren 23, 1942, serialV No. 425,906 '7A claims. (c1. 2oz-nar) The present invention relates to` new and useful improvements in condensers for extracting salt from salt water and also for reclaiming fresh water therefrom for humanconsumption and for other purposes.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus ofl this character utilizing solar heat for carrying out the evaporation and condensing action of the device and to otherwise provide a practical and economical apparatus of thischaracter adapted for use in warm aridv climates adjacent a supply of salt waterr whereby to produce fresh water therefrom suit-v able for human consumption and also to reclaim the salt from the' salt water. f

A further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is elcient and reliable ink use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended. l

Other objects and advantages 'reside in the details of construction and operation asmore fullyl hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughoutV and in which: Figure 1 isa vertical sectional View.

Figure 2 is a top plan View.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on a line 3-3 of Figure 1 and'with part of the evaporating pan broken away to showl the separator for the fresh and salt water bers formed in the pan, and

Figure 4 is' a fragmentaryr vertical sectional view of the lower portion of the vapor stack rising from the salt water sectionof the pan.

Referring now to the drawings in' detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numerall 5 designates a flat, shallow pan including a bottom section 6 and top 1, the pan being of any desired area and contour andthe bottom Gisformed at one edge thereof with a drain trough 8 leading to a drain pipe 9. i 4Rising from the top 'I of the pan, adjacent its central portion, is a metal stack 'VIU communicating with a similar stack" II rising from the top of the pan adjacent the trough 8, the stacks I 0 and II being connected at their top portions by means of a horizontal pipe or stack section I2.

Also rising from the top section of theY pan 1 between the stacks I 0 and II is a separator plate or wall I4 terminating at its upper end adjacent the topv ofthe stack. The separator cham- I 4 is preferably positioned nearer the stack I 0, as show-nto advantage in Figure 1 of the drawings, and the separatorl extends entirely across` anfinterrnediate portion of the surface of the pan 5 with the vertical side edges of the separator projecting outwardly beyond the side edges of the pan, as shown to advantage in Figure 2` of the drawings.

The interior of the pan is formedv with a partition or separator I5, defining a salt water cham'- ber I6 and a fresh water chamber Il, the separatcr I5 being likewise positioned `between the stacks ill' and IIsubstantially beneath the sepa-v rator I4 and the upper edge of the separator I5 is formed with an opening I8 providing 'com'- munication between the chambers IB andV I'T adjacent the underside of the top l of the pan.

The chamber |`6 is filled with a quantity of salt water up to the level of the opening I8 of the separator 15 so that the portion of the pan at one side ofthe separator I4' and immediately below the stack I0 is provided with a quantity of salt water of'relatively shallow depth.

Projecting into the stack Ill at an intermev diate portion thereof, is a salt water supply pipe spray tip 20 Surrounding the stack Il` is av metallic shell:`

2| secured in spacedrelation from the stack by means of supports orfbraces 22, the lower end' of the shell 2i terminating in spaced relation above the top of the pan' while the upper ende of the shell terminates substantially on a horizontal plane with the top of the separator I4, the bottom and top of the shell being open to permit the freecirculation of air therethrough.

The upper portion of the stack I0, 'the entire stack Il, and Vthe horizontal connecting stack I2 are coveredv withcloth or similar material 23 and the outer surface of the shell 2l is like-v Wise provided with a cloth or similar covering 24.' In the operation of the device the-panis positioned so that theside of the separator adjacent the stack I!) is exposed to the rays of the sun and so that the separator Il!v preferably throws a shadow on the stack III Vand shell 2l to lower the temperature thereof relative to the remaining parts of the device. The cloth coverings 23 and 24 are saturated withl salt water and they salt water compartment I5 is supplied with a; quantityA of salt water to the level of the opening; Iinthefpartition I 5, the, level of the-Waterbeing controlled by a conventional float controlled valve (not shown). A line spray of salt water is then fed to the stack l by means of the pipe I9 and the heat from the sun will cause an evaporation of the salt water in the compartment I6, thereby producing a vapor which rises in the stack lil and is condensed as it passes through the upper portion of the stack covered by the relatively cooler covering 23 where the moisture carried by the vapor is condensed as it travels downwardly through the stackll and resulting in the precipitation of fresh water, which is deposited in the chamber l1 from which it enters the trough 8 for discharge through the pipe 9 for storage or consumption purposes.

After the salt water has been completely evaporated from the compartment IB, the residue, in the form of salt crystals, may be recovered.

Any suitable means may be provided for maintaining the coverings 23 and 24 in a saturated condition.

The upper surface of the pan 5, over the chamber 1, and the exposed surfaces of the stack I0 are preferably painted black to better absorb the suns rays.

The provision of the shell 2l surrounding the condensation stack Il acts to produce a secondary cooling effect upon the stack and upon the saturated cloth cover to lower the temperature of the moisture saturated air entering the said stack.

It is believed the details of construction, manner of operation and advantages of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation.

Having thus described the invention what I claim is:

1.- A distillation unit comprising a shallow pan having a portion thereof arranged to be heated and the remaining portion unheated, means for supplying liquid to the heated portion of the pan, a. partition in the pan separating the heated portion of the pan and the unheated portion thereof into a pair of compartments, said partition having an opening adjacent its upper edge to provide for the circulation of air between the compartments, stacks rising from each compartment and communicating at their upper ends, heat eX-' change means carried by the stack of the unheated compartment to condense moisture in the air rising in the other stack, and means for recovering the products of condensation from said unheated compartment,

2. A distillation unit comprising a shallow pan adapted to contain liquid, a liquid supply means for the pan, a partition in the pan separating the same into a pair of compartments, said partition having an opening adjacent its upper edge to provide for the'circulation of air between the compartments, stacks rising from each compartment and communicating at their upper ends, one of said stacks being subjected to solar heat and adapted to create an upward passage of moisture laden air through said one stack, heat exchange means carried by the other stack to precipitate moisture from the air passing therethrough, and drainage means for the compart-V ment of the last-named stack.

3. A distillation unit comprising a shallow pan adapted to contain liquid, a liquid supply means for the pan, a partition in the pan separating the same into apair of compartments, said partition having anopening adjacent its upper edge to provide for the circulation of air between the compartments, stacks rising from each compartment and communicating at their upper ends, one of said stacks being subjected to solar heat and adapted to create an upward passage of moisture laden air through said one stack, means for cooling the other stack to precipitate moisture from the air passing therethrough, and drainage means for the compartment of the lastnamed stack.

4. A distillation unit comprising a. shallow pan adapted to contain liquid, a liquidsupply means for the pan, a partition inl the pan separating the same into a pair of compartments, said partition having an opening adjacent its upper edge to provide for the circulation of air between the compartments, stacks rising from each compartment and communicating at their upper ends, one of said stacks being subjected to solar heat and adapted to create an upward passage of moisture laden air through said one stack, means for shielding the other stack from solar heat, means for cooling the said other stack to precipitate moisture from the air passing therethrough,`and drainage means for the compartment of the last-named stack.

5. A distillation unit comprising a shallow pan adapted `to contain liquid, a partition in the pan separating the same into a pair of compartments, said partition having an opening adjacent its upper edge to provide for` the circulation of air between the compartments, stacks rising from each compartment and communicating at their upper ends, means for feeding a liquid sprayv to one of the stacks, said one stack being subjected to solar heat and adapted to create an upward passage of air therethrough for conveying moisture to the other stack, means for cooling theV said other stack for precipitating moisture in said other stack, and drainage means for the compartment of the last-named stack.

A6. A distillation unit comprising a shallow pan adapted to contain liquid, a partition in thelpan separating the same into a pair of compartments, said partition having an opening adjacent its upper edge to provide for thecirculation of air between the compartments, stacks rising from each compartment and communicating at their upper ends, 4means; for Ifeeding a liquid spray to one of the stacks,v said one stack being subjected to solar heat and adapted to create an upward passage of air therethrough for conveying moisture to the other stack, a cloth covering on said other stack adapted to be saturated with liquid for condensing moisture laden air in said last-named stack, and drainage means for the compartment of the last-named stack.v

7. A distillation unit comprising a shallow'pan adapted to rcontain liquid, a partition in the pan separating the same into a pair of compartments, said partition having an opening ad' jacent-its upper edge to provide for the circu-` lation of air between the compartments, stacks rising 'from each compartment and communicating at vtheir upper ends, means for 'feeding a 'liquid spray to one of the stacks, said one stack being subjected'to solar heat and adapted to create an upward'passage of air therethrough for conveying moisture to the other stack, an1 annular shield'surrounding the said other stack in spaced relation therefrom, cloth coverings for. the shield and said other stack adapted for saturation with liquid to condense moisture laden' air in said other stack, and drainage meansjfor the compartmentr of the last-named stack.

- YSIDNEY c. 1 

